This invention relates to a cylinder block of an engine, and more particularly to a liner positioned within a cylinder and a wear resistant plating employable with such a liner.
In many instances, reciprocating machines are formed from a cylinder block in which cylinders having liners are employed. Frequently, it is the practice to plate the inner surface of a cylinder liner with a more wear resistant material. When so plating a cylinder liner, the plating normally extends to the top and bottom ends of the liner. It is also the practice to machine at least the top end of the liner so that when it is placed in the cylinder block the liner surface will be flush with the top deck of the block. However, when the machining of the plated liner takes place, there is a danger that the plating may be stripped from the interior of the liner, or at least portions of it. This can give rise to obvious problems.
In earlier filed application Ser. No. 547,493, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,549 filed Jul. 3, 1990, assigned to the assignee hereof, the need for a cylinder liner employing a wear resistant plating material which would not be displaced upon machining of the liner was recognized. That application teaches a plating material formed upon a specially pre-formed cylinder surface. The cylinder surface is designed such that subsequent machining will not affect the integrity of the resistant plating. An advantage of the present invention over such a teaching, as will become apparent, relates to the elimination of the need for the preparation of a special cylinder surface prior to a plating step in which the wear resistant coating is deposited. As a result, a reduction in machining and costs may be realized.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved plated liner for a reciprocating machine.
It is further an object to provide a method of plating and machining a liner for a reciprocating machine that will insure that the plating does not become displaced during subsequent machining of the top surface of the liner.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a wear resistant liner for a cylinder which does not require the prior formation of a special cylinder surface before forming a wear resistant material thereon.